Adios, Zune: Friendly reminder that, as of Aug. 22, the Zune Marketplace will shut down on Xbox Live, as part of the conversion from Microsoft points to local currency. If you've got Microsoft points, they won't be usable there anymore, in other words. More information is in this FAQ.

Microsoft's attempt to dethrone the iPod, its music, movie and video game-playing hardware known as the Zune, may have just been put out to pasture. Bloomberg reports the Zune HD, introduced in 2009, will be the last of its kind.

Kinect may be touted as the Xbox 360's answer to motion gaming, but it's not just about making you the controller. Kinect can also let you interact with television, movies, music and the Xbox 360 like Tom Cruise in Minority Report, just without the fancy gloves.

Kinect is more than an Xbox 360 peripheral, it's the future of Microsoft, or at least a very possible one. It's the beginning of Microsoft's plans for natural user interfaces, the step beyond the thing you're staring at right now.

Fans not opting to purchase the Limited Edition of BioShock 2 can still get their hands on music from the game, when 2K Games releases soundtrack digitally, packed with the greatest hits from the 30's, 40's and 50's.

Instant streaming in 1080p? Microsoft did warn that its new Zune video marketplace might not allow for streaming for people with slower (slow-ish?) connections. This is my low-point in my three-part preview of the 360's new November dashboard.

As with previous major updates to Xbox Live, Microsoft is offering you a chance to try out new features like Zune integration, Facebook, and Twitter before everyone else gets their grubby paws on them.

The 802.11n adapter whose development Microsoft recently confirmed will cost you one benjamin. The existing 802.11g adapter will get a haircut and cost $79.99. That's according to Ars Technica's trusty, and unnamed, "Mole."